Key West
New Member
Here is an email I received this morning:
Comcast, the largest cable TV provider in the nation, has told the
Marijuana Policy Project that it will not run any kind of marijuana
policy reform ads, including medical marijuana ads. This national
policy, which Comcast refuses to put in writing, was brought about by
MPP's campaign in New Hampshire.
MPP was seeking to spend approximately $10,000 on "issue ads" in mid-
January to pressure the presidential candidates to strengthen their
medical marijuana positions before they leave the state on January 27
(the date of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary
election).
We are fighting back. As a short-term solution, a congressional
candidate in New Hampshire said he is willing to run MPP's medical
marijuana message in his own TV ads. (Under federal law, TV networks
and cable TV providers cannot refuse advertising money from federal
candidates!)
As a long-term solution, however, MPP must sue Comcast. Would you
please visit Join the Marijuana Policy Project to help get this unexpected
lawsuit off the ground? If you so choose, your donation can be tax-
deductible.
For the long-term health of MPP and the marijuana policy reform
movement, it is absolutely crucial that we change Comcast's policy. If
we do not, we will not be able to purchase the necessary airtime to
pass ballot initiatives, pressure elected officials, and educate the
public about the need to end marijuana prohibition.
This year alone, the White House drug czar's office is spending
$145,000,000 of taxpayer money to run anti-marijuana scare ads. And,
in the meantime, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America is receiving
$50,000,000 worth of free airtime to run its own untruthful TV ads.
Yes, that's right ...
To add insult to injury, Comcast recently announced it is donating
$50,000,000 worth of free airtime to PDFA. Please see
Marijuana Policy Project | We Change Laws for MPP's news release,
which features our protest outside of Comcast's Manchester office on
December 22.
We have been researching our legal options, and it's pretty clear that
the case law makes it very hard for us to win a broad-based lawsuit
against Comcast.
However, we have a fighting chance in court if (1) Comcast has a
virtual monopoly in a geographic region, and (2) this monopoly has
been granted by a local or state government (as opposed to a voluntary
lack of competition by other companies). In addition, in order to
strengthen our First Amendment argument, we plan to sue Comcast in a
state where a marijuana policy reform initiative is likely to appear
on an upcoming ballot.
Please consider visiting Join the Marijuana Policy Project to help pay for the
MPP staff time and legal fees associated with this lawsuit. Given
what's at stake, we absolutely must file this lawsuit -- and soon.
One added benefit of this lawsuit is that it is sure to generate a
substantial amount of free media coverage. This media coverage will be
enormously positive for MPP and the forces of medical marijuana.
Newspaper editorial boards across the nation -- which almost
universally oppose censorship and support a free and open political
debate -- will run editorials against Comcast and in favor of MPP.
We are playing to win in court. But, even if we lose in court, we
might be able to cause Comcast to buckle because all of this free
media coverage will (1) be bad for their business, and (2) help
promote a political cause they oppose.
To supplement this barrage of publicity, MPP is now also calling for a
nationwide boycott of Comcast. The boycott starts with me, as I will
be signing up with Starpower at home instead of Comcast in a couple of
days.
Please visit Join the Marijuana Policy Project to fight Comcast's censorship
of the marijuana policy reform perspective.
Comcast's ban is particularly chilling when one considers that
Congress is poised to enact a law banning all marijuana policy reform
advertising on public transit systems that receive federal money
(which is almost all of them). See Marijuana Policy Project - We Change Laws!
for details.
If you are one of the 31,500 people on this e-mail list who have never
donated to our work, your donation to the lawsuit will automatically
make you an MPP member. If you are one of the 8,800 supporters who
have let their MPP memberships lapse, your donation today will renew
your membership.
If you are one of MPP's 5,000 current members ... which includes 158
Lifetime Members who have donated $1,000 or more in one calendar year
... as well as 515 people who make automatic credit card donations
each month ... thank you, thank you, thank you.
Would you please make a year-end donation at Join the Marijuana Policy Project
so that we can launch our lawsuit against Comcast as soon as possible?
Thank you in advance for considering this request.
Sincerely,
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
Comcast, the largest cable TV provider in the nation, has told the
Marijuana Policy Project that it will not run any kind of marijuana
policy reform ads, including medical marijuana ads. This national
policy, which Comcast refuses to put in writing, was brought about by
MPP's campaign in New Hampshire.
MPP was seeking to spend approximately $10,000 on "issue ads" in mid-
January to pressure the presidential candidates to strengthen their
medical marijuana positions before they leave the state on January 27
(the date of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary
election).
We are fighting back. As a short-term solution, a congressional
candidate in New Hampshire said he is willing to run MPP's medical
marijuana message in his own TV ads. (Under federal law, TV networks
and cable TV providers cannot refuse advertising money from federal
candidates!)
As a long-term solution, however, MPP must sue Comcast. Would you
please visit Join the Marijuana Policy Project to help get this unexpected
lawsuit off the ground? If you so choose, your donation can be tax-
deductible.
For the long-term health of MPP and the marijuana policy reform
movement, it is absolutely crucial that we change Comcast's policy. If
we do not, we will not be able to purchase the necessary airtime to
pass ballot initiatives, pressure elected officials, and educate the
public about the need to end marijuana prohibition.
This year alone, the White House drug czar's office is spending
$145,000,000 of taxpayer money to run anti-marijuana scare ads. And,
in the meantime, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America is receiving
$50,000,000 worth of free airtime to run its own untruthful TV ads.
Yes, that's right ...
To add insult to injury, Comcast recently announced it is donating
$50,000,000 worth of free airtime to PDFA. Please see
Marijuana Policy Project | We Change Laws for MPP's news release,
which features our protest outside of Comcast's Manchester office on
December 22.
We have been researching our legal options, and it's pretty clear that
the case law makes it very hard for us to win a broad-based lawsuit
against Comcast.
However, we have a fighting chance in court if (1) Comcast has a
virtual monopoly in a geographic region, and (2) this monopoly has
been granted by a local or state government (as opposed to a voluntary
lack of competition by other companies). In addition, in order to
strengthen our First Amendment argument, we plan to sue Comcast in a
state where a marijuana policy reform initiative is likely to appear
on an upcoming ballot.
Please consider visiting Join the Marijuana Policy Project to help pay for the
MPP staff time and legal fees associated with this lawsuit. Given
what's at stake, we absolutely must file this lawsuit -- and soon.
One added benefit of this lawsuit is that it is sure to generate a
substantial amount of free media coverage. This media coverage will be
enormously positive for MPP and the forces of medical marijuana.
Newspaper editorial boards across the nation -- which almost
universally oppose censorship and support a free and open political
debate -- will run editorials against Comcast and in favor of MPP.
We are playing to win in court. But, even if we lose in court, we
might be able to cause Comcast to buckle because all of this free
media coverage will (1) be bad for their business, and (2) help
promote a political cause they oppose.
To supplement this barrage of publicity, MPP is now also calling for a
nationwide boycott of Comcast. The boycott starts with me, as I will
be signing up with Starpower at home instead of Comcast in a couple of
days.
Please visit Join the Marijuana Policy Project to fight Comcast's censorship
of the marijuana policy reform perspective.
Comcast's ban is particularly chilling when one considers that
Congress is poised to enact a law banning all marijuana policy reform
advertising on public transit systems that receive federal money
(which is almost all of them). See Marijuana Policy Project - We Change Laws!
for details.
If you are one of the 31,500 people on this e-mail list who have never
donated to our work, your donation to the lawsuit will automatically
make you an MPP member. If you are one of the 8,800 supporters who
have let their MPP memberships lapse, your donation today will renew
your membership.
If you are one of MPP's 5,000 current members ... which includes 158
Lifetime Members who have donated $1,000 or more in one calendar year
... as well as 515 people who make automatic credit card donations
each month ... thank you, thank you, thank you.
Would you please make a year-end donation at Join the Marijuana Policy Project
so that we can launch our lawsuit against Comcast as soon as possible?
Thank you in advance for considering this request.
Sincerely,
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
